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Gold Coast shopping centre to get facelift

YFG Shopping Centres has announced it is commencing a multi-million dollar redevelopment of the Australia Fair Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast next month.

YFG said the revamp would greatly extend the scope of works already underway at adjacent new precinct Australia Fair Metro – with the second stage of redevelopment on the centre to run over the next 12 months, and re-emerge as a contemporary retail offering in the urban heart of south-east Queensland’s coastal strip.

Managed by Retail First, the refurbishment of Australia Fair will include an entire renovation of Coles supermarket and aim to boost its modern appeal for customers in line with upgrades already completed by major tenants, Kmart and Event Cinemas (previously Birch Carroll and Coyle).

With Australia Fair Metro recently redeveloped into an al fresco dining and retail precinct, the next stage of renovations for the centre will commence in late September, including the unveiling of a fresh façade fronting Scarborough Street and the ground floor to be upgraded from the Scarborough Street entrance to the existing Tap and Grind Café.

Australia Fair general manager Ramon Otten said the Centre was committed to providing an ‘all-new’ retail experience for shoppers, while playing a key catalyst in the redevelopment of the broader area of Southport as a revitalised cosmopolitan urban hub.

“Australia Fair was first built in the early 1980’s and is proud of its long-standing role as an integral part of the Southport community,” he said.

“We are delighted to announce the first stage of the redevelopment works.

“Australia Fair is located within one of the country’s most exciting and dynamic locations, and as the Gold Coast prepares to welcome the eyes of the world for the Commonwealth Games in 2018, we are thrilled to reveal a greatly enhanced offering to the community and our visitors through this major redevelopment project.”

Coles will commence construction of its new-look supermarket in the coming months, which will become one of the most up-to-date stores in the country, with an expanded layout of 4222sqm.

Coles will expand into the Fig Tree Food Court and feature an in-store butcher, seafood specialists and qualified bakers.

The supermarket will remain open for trading throughout the redevelopment works.

Kmart Australia has also recently upgraded its store to the very latest format, while the newly rebranded Event Cinemas has also undergone a recent transformation, with a new foyer area, new designer seats and renovated Gold Class lounges.

A host of other national retailers are either relocating or investing in new fit-outs to complement the contemporary finish of the mall, including City Beach and Ally Fashion, while management is currently securing an enhanced offering of new retailers to be announced at a later date.

YFG said the first stage of the Centre’s refurbishment is a major tenet in the revitalisation of the broader Southport region, and will capitalise on infrastructure initiatives including the G:Link light rail network and the new world-class Chinatown precinct.

Marked as a priority area for re-development, Southport has attracted a total of $5 billion in private and public investment on initiatives which aim to boost the location as a key business, leisure and retail hub.

Construction of the revamped Australia Fair is expected to be completed in mid 2017.